Furnace



I 2-Sheets-Sheet 1. I. D. SMEAD.

.FURNAGE.

(NoModeL) v No. 501,109. Patented July 11, 189 3.

I. n. SMEAD.

FURNAGB.

N0.'501,109.' Patented ul 11, 189-3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC D. SMEAD, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,109, dated July 11, 1893.

Application filed March 22, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC D. SMEAD, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to that class of furnaces or air warmers used in connection with the Ruttan-Smead system of warming and ventilating large buildings, in which 'a very large volume of air is used, and the invention consists in a novel construction of the furnace, and a peculiar arrangement of the smoke and heating fiues or pipes, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the furnace set up ready for use, with a portion of the inclosing brick work, and showing the position of the heat and smoke flues. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the furnace taken from the rear, without the brickwork, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views showing the details of construction.

The object of this invention is first, to so construct the body of the furnace of a series of peculiarly formed sections that a narrow section at any point can at any time be removed and replaced by another; second, to provide each of these sections with radial flanges of peculiar form and unusual width for the radiation of heat; third, to locate the heat and smoke fines at the bottom instead of at the top; and fourth, to reduce the height of this class of heaters, so they can be set in low basements or cellars, and where there is not sufficient height for the ordinary furnaces that are generally used for heating and. ventilating school and other large buildings. The style of furnaces which have been most extensively used for this purpose of late years, is shown in my prior Patents Nos. 399,294 and 370,981, and upon which this is an unprovement. As heretofore constructed, the body of these furnaces have been composed of large corrugated cast iron plates, with a combustion chamber in rear of the fire box, and aseries of pipes arranged over the same, as shown I in Patent No. 399,294. In Patent No.37 0,981, the combustion chamber was divided into two parts, and instead of the large number of; smaller pipes above, two larger and different Serial No. 467,139. (No model.)

shaped pipes or flues were used above the body. As set for use, the air is brought to these and all similar furnaces on one side at the bottom, where it first comes in contact with the body of the furnace and from thence rises and passes in around and among the pipes or flues above the body. As the body of these furnaces is much hotter than the pipes or fines above, it will be seen that the cold air is first brought into contact with that portion which is the hottest, and subsequently with the pipes or flues above, and which being less highly heated impart little or no heat to the air. My object is, to reverse this condition of affairs, and by placing these smoke and heat pipes or flues below the body of the furnace, have the cold air first come in contact with those portions which are least heated, and then in contact with the hottest portions, from which it will obtain still more heat, and by that means obtain better results, as experiment has fully demonstrated. Iconstruct the fire box B of a large number of separate castings S. These I make of an arched or horse shoe form as shown in Fig. 3 and in cross section in Fig. 5, they being about three feet in height and two feet in width measured internally. Each section S is provided with alaterally projecting flange or web f, which has at its outer edge a bead or enlargementn, and at its base on one side a recess or groove '0, and opposite this groove on, its opposite face it is provided with a'rib tadapted to fit in the groove '0 of the adjoining section, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, which represents three of these sections bolted together, and of full size. Each section is provided with aseries of holes forthe reception of the bolts 0, as shown, these holes being formed in the castingof the sections. When put together, the groove '0, and the space between the rib tand the body of the section S is filled with asbestus cement as shown in Fig. 5. It will thus be seen that the walls of the fire box are composed practically of two thicknesses of metal with an interposed layer of cement, and that even when the inner layer of. metal may be burned by the intense heat and become more or less fractured, the body still remains tight, the layer of cement and the rib 25 forming a'wall outside of the burned portion, and retaining their integrity and position. By formingtlie bead n on the exterior of the flanges f they are strengthened, and are less liable to be cracked or broken. It will also be seen that in case any one or more of these sections become injured by the heat or should crack, by simply removing the bolts 0 which fasten it to the adjoining sections, it can be removed, and a new one substituted, without disturbing the other parts ofthe furnace; and finally, by making the fire box of a series of narrow sections in this way, I find that itis much less liable to crack and warp by the heat, than when made of large plates, as heretofore. The combustion chambers C, C, in rear of the fire box, I construct in the same manner, the sections T being varied somewhat in outline as shown in Fig. 4E, and having their body por tion or inner face made much narrower, as this part of the furnace not being subjected to as intense heat as the fire box, does not need to have its walls made double. These sections T are provided with grooves 11, the same as the others, and they are fastened together with bolts and the joints filled with cement in the same manner, as shown in Fig. 6, which shows three of these sections united, and of full size, in cross section. They are of course smaller than the sections which form the fire box, their internal space being about two feet by eight inches. These two extensions or combustion chambers are placed directly in rear of the fire box as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being connected thereto by a plate having corresponding shaped openings,

and at their rear ends they are connected by a similar plate to what may be termed a smoke chamber D, which is composed of a series of sections S of the same size and general form as those of which the fire box is formed, there being a space between the two extensions C for the passage of the air. In rear of this smoke chamber D, and connected thereto by a suitable short tube or collars, I locate what may be termed the breeching, E, as it takes the place of the rear breeching used in the former furnaces, and serves as a connection between the furnace proper and the smoke and heat pipes or fines. This breeching is preferably made of rectangular form, it being composed of cast iron plates, from the outer face of which ribs or flanges project as shown. It has adoor m at its rear as shown in Fig. 2 for cleaning out the accumulated soot and ashes, at intervals. At its front it is provided with an opening which is below the bottom of the smoke and combustion chambers, and to it at that point I connect a large smoke and heat pipe F, preferably formed of cast iron rings or sections provided with laterally projecting ribs or flanges, as shown in Fig. 7, the sections or rings being bolted together in the same manner as the other sections. This pipe FI extend forward under the furnace proper to the ash pan; and in some cases, where there is room to raise the furnace sufficiently, I extend it under the ash pan also to the front plate, the object being to retain the products of combustion in a position where the cold air as it enters will first strike this and the other smoke pipes. At its front end this pipe or flue F is connected to a pipe G, arranged at right angles, and which projects out at either side, as may be most convenient to connect with the chimney. (Jonnected to this transverse pipe G is another pipe H, which as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 extends backward parallel with the body of the furnace, but below the same, it in turn connecting with a vertical pipe I located opposite the breeching E, and at the top this pipe I connects with a horizontal pipe J which leads to the chimney, wherever the latter may be located.

Where buildings are planned for the reception of this class of heating apparatus, it is customary to arrange the chimney or smoke flue 1, and the hot air flues 2, 3 and 4, as shown in Fig. 1. In some cases however the chimney is located at a distance, in which case ofcourse the pipe J will be continued outside of the brick walls surrounding the furnace; but it will be observed that otherwise all the pipes connected with the furnace are located within the hot air chamber, as represented in Fig. 1, and that consequently all the heat radiated by them will be utilized.

In order to provide a direct draft, which is required in starting a fire, and also when itis desired to increase the draft and heat at intervals, I make a connection between the top of the breeching E and the horizontal pipe J, by means of a vertical pipe K, also preferably made of cast iron with lateral ribs or projections as shown in Fig. 2, there being in its upper portion a damper, the rod or axis b, of which extends to the front, where it can be operated by the attendant, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each of the pipes G, H,I andJ are provided with removable stoppers or covers 0 as shown, so that access may be had for removing therefrom the soot and fine ashes which may accum ulate therein, the furnace proper together with the smoke chamber D, breeching E and pipe F being cleaned through the door or opening in the rear face of the breeching.

In setting the furnace, the ends of the pipes G, H, I and J are arranged to project through the brick work which incloses the furnace, and flush with the outside of said walls, the pipes being made long enough to do so, so that access can be had to them at any time; and at the rear, opposite the door m,a metal frame with a door is built in the wall, for giving access at the rear. By these means all parts of the furnace and its pipes are made accessible so they can be frequently cleaned, and which is an important matter, as the soot and ashes which accumulate therein and adhere to their inner surfaces greatly retard the radiation of heat from their exterior. By constructing the body of the furnace of these 4 narrow sections as above described, I am enthe same floor.

abled to make furnaces of several different sizes as is required for the various sized buildings and rooms to be warmed and ventilated, without additional patterns, as it is only necessary to add more sections and use longer bottom plates in order to increase the size, the five sizes made, varying in length from twelve and a half to eighteen feet. 'In some cases I make the pipe F long enough to enable the breeching E with its pipe K to be set in an adjoining room, the pipe F extending through the wall or partition, the smoke pipe J, being changed as may be required to reach the chimney, and thus am enabled to warm a room on This I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in the drawings, as it is a matter of arrangement within the knowledge orpower of any competent person, when once the idea is suggested.

I am aware that furnaces and radiators have long been made with ribs and pins projecting from their exterior surfaces for conducting the heat more effectually to the air around them; but as usually made their projection is but little, and consequently they have but little effect. By. my plan I cover the entire structure with ribs or flanges many times the Width of those ordinarily used, (and if desired, all the pipes may be made the same as pipe F, with these flanges) and by making each ona separate section, I am enabled to cast them with the bead 1t and the bolt holes all complete. By this construction in sections,I am also enabled to use these very wide flanges in close proximity to each other, thereby greatly increasing theradiating surface,

these wide flanges when thus arranged side by side forming a great number of deep but narrow channels through which the air passes, and by which the large-volume of air required for the thorough ventilation and warming of school rooms and similar apartments is effectually warmed, and with a saving in fuel.

It should be understood that the cold air is admitted to the heating chamber through arches or openings arranged along one side at the bottom, as indicated by the dotted lines and the arrows in Fig. 1. It will therefore be seen that the cold air first comes in contact with the smoke and heating pipes F, G and H, and the ash pan by which it is warmed to the extent of whatever heat is radiated from those parts, and that as it rises it is brought into contact with the fire box and other parts which being much more highly heated impart to the air. still more heat, thereby securing a greatly improved result as compared with furnaces of the ordinary construction, in which the heat and smoke pipes or flues are usually arranged at the top, or above the fire box.

I am aware that furnaces have been constructed with internal flues arranged to conduct the products of combustion downward around, and in some cases under the fire pot, or back and forth within the body of the structure, but Iamnot aware that any one before my invention has constructed a furnace in which the products of combustion were conducted throughpipes arranged outside of and below the furnace proper, and so that thecold air shall first be brought into contact therewith, as in mine.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A sectional casting for furnaces, consisting of a curved plate or body (as S or T), having a laterally projecting flange or rib f with a groove 11 in one side and a rib t on the opposite side of said flange, substantially as shown and described.

2. "A furnace having its body composed of a series of the curved sectional plates each provided with the laterally projecting flange f having a groove '0 on one face and a rib t on its opposite face, the said sectional plates being held together by bolts which extend through each adjoining pair of flanges only, as shown and described.

3. A heat or smokepipe composed of a series of annular plates or rings each provided with an annular groove on one edge and a corresponding rib or projection on its opposite edge, each ring being provided with a' laterally projecting rib or flange, and each ring composing the series being separately bolted to the next adjoining one by bolts which pass through the flanges of two adjoining rings only, substantially as shown and described.

4:. The combination in a furnace 'or air warmer, of a fire box B, duplicate combustion In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC D. SMEAD.

Witnesses:

J .V. BOND, WM. S. DALY. 

